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Motor Mania
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Wikipedia article
'Motor Mania' is a cartoon released by Walt Disney Productions on June 30, 1950. In this madcap motoring animation, Goofy (during his "Everyman" period) transforms into a Mr. Hyde-type split personality, when he gets behind the wheel and provides the lowdown on how to 'not' drive safely.
Plot
The cartoon shows how the character, as the pleasant, friendly, and good-natured "Mr. Walker" who "wouldn't hurt a fly nor step on an ant", undergoes a Jekyll-and-Hyde-like change in personality to the violent "Mr. Wheeler, motorist" when he gets behind the wheel of his yellow car. As Mr. Walker, pedestrian, he's polite, safe, and good-natured while as Mr. Wheeler; he is very mean, reckless, and predatory. Upon reaching his destination in town (he apparently only wanted to buy a newspaper) and leaving his automobile, he reverts to the mild-mannered Mr. Walker, whereupon he is the victim of other motorists' unsafe (and sometimes even predatory) driving habits. However, once he returns to his car, he becomes Mr. Wheeler, motorist, again, seeking to impose his own will upon traffic, to the point of blaming the tow truck which hauls him away for his slow pace after his own auto accident, and breaks the fourth wall by telling the narrator, while educating him (and the fourth wall) on safe driving habits with, "Aw, shaddap!"
The car
The car that Goofy drives is a yellow Lincoln-Zephyr convertible. Although not every detail is correct on the cartoon car in relation to the original, its deep, growling sound is unmistakable.
Historical significance
*This is first Goofy cartoon to have Goofy redesigned, with a lack of both floppy external ears and frontal teeth. It was also the first to use a jazz remake of the theme song used in Goofy shorts prior.
*Was used as an army commercial film in 1955.
*This cartoon reveals that road rage is not a recent phenomenon, but also an issue recurring with each generation of drivers.
*Due to its subtle topicality, it and two 1965 Goofy cartoons about freeway safety, 'Freewayphobia#1' and 'Goofy's Freeway Troubles', have been shown in driving schools across the continent.
*This short was awarded the Buyer Trophy for the best film on traffic safety.
*In 'D-TV', clips from this cartoon were set to the Beach Boys' "I Get Around".
*Mr. Walker makes a cameo reading a newspaper in Toontown in 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit'.
*In the 'House of Mouse' episode "Max's New Car", after getting banned from getting a car from Goofy, Max Goof also showed clips of this cartoon (with altered audio) to prove how Goofy was a 'responsible' driver.
Home media
The short was released on December 2, 2002, on 'Walt Disney Treasures: The Complete Goofy'.
Voice cast
* Goofy: Pinto Colvig
* Narrator: John McLeish
References
Category:1950 films
Category:1950 animated films
Category:1950s Disney animated short films
Category:Goofy (Disney) short films
Category:Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde films
Category:Films directed by Jack Kinney
Category:Films produced by Walt Disney
Category:Films scored by Paul Smith (film and television composer)
Category:Animated films about automobiles
Category:1950s English-language films
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